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Thanks for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not a relaxing holiday for Jason and me. Between cooking and making rounds with our families, there’s little time for rump ease.

This year, Jason and I were up baking caramel apple pies and rum cake until Thanksgiving’s wee hours. After a sleep break, we recommenced the cooking with phyllo wrapped asparagus before heading off to the first in our succession of family meals.

Jason's family is notorious for their inability to take a normal picture.
Jason’s family is notorious for their inability to take a normal picture.

Our opening dinner was really lunch and it was with Jason’s side. As usual, at this get-together there were more spuds and ham than most could consume and more teasing than most could tolerate. Luckily, my skin is thick and my love for taters nearly infinite.

One of my culinary concoctions this year was a rum cake. It turned out rather sinfully fabulous.
One of my culinary concoctions this year was a rum cake. It turned out rather sinfully fabulous.

Following our first gorging, we ate supper with my folks. My dad made his delicious from-scratch stuffing and my mom her celebrated cranberry sauce. Although we were still digesting our earlier crammings, we filled up heartily. Not all of my clan was present but, nonetheless, the games and conversations overflowed almost as much as our bellies.

I only had to take about forty photos of my family to get one that turned out.
I only had to take about forty photos of my family to get one that turned out.

For Jason and me, Thanksgiving is not a break from busyness. Yet, its camaraderie is as plentiful as its turkey and that is indeed something to be thankful for.

Rachel December 23, 2014 No Comments

Gastronomic Games

My Bunko group has been gathering once a month for over a decade. However, lately it’s struggled somewhat with consistent turnout. Since November was my month to host, I opted to make things a little swankier than usual to bring back the crowds and the enthusiasm. (“Crowds” in this case refers to a total of twelve women.) Yes, it was time to bring in an upscaling professional.

Close to our complete dozen attended.
Close to our complete dozen attended.

Chef J. is an executive chef and a friend of an acquaintance. Because I’d sampled his work before and my stomach had wholly approved, I decided to hire him to make some heavy-duty small plates at my Bunko event. His menu for the evening consisted of Underground chicken skewers with a blood orange aioli sauce and warm tortillas, cold soba noodles with raw vegetables and a coriander wasabi sauce, and dark chocolate mousse with a mocha rum sauce. While everything was delicious, the mousse was definitely my favorite; I could have eaten a mountain of that stuff, or a molehill at the very least.

Chef J. served his foods in a fun fashion.
Chef J. served his foods in a fun fashion.

My fancification tactics were satisfactorily successful. Nearly a full dozen ladies showed up ready to high roll and gobble some hired grub. Hooray for gaming made gastronomic!

Rachel December 17, 2014 No Comments

Vegas Business

Jason and I have traveled to Las Vegas many times, brought there by conferences, anniversaries, and juvenile frolics. This November it was business that took us to Sin City but amusement and cuisine that kept us there.

Las Vegas is an odd place. It may look modern but in lots of ways it’s completely backwards. Although elsewhere humanity has made progress, in Vegas it’s still okay to objectify women and blow cigarette smoke in someone’s face. Yes, some things about that epicenter of indulgence literally stink. However, few places on this planet are packed with as many tantalizing restaurant and entertainment options. I’m salivating simply at the thought.

Attending La Reve gave us an excuse to wander around Wynn.
Attending La Reve gave us an excuse to wander around Wynn.

Jason had company business and clients to attend to the first couple of days we were in Vegas but that didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. We ate fabulous dinners at Delmonico Steakhouse and Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak and caught The Beatles LOVE with his customers and coworkers.

Jason didn't mind following my suggestion for a little sunshine.
Jason didn’t mind following my suggestion for a little sunshine.

Once Jason’s work was over, we spent the rest of the weekend shopping, showing, and soaking in all 76 degrees of the sun’s glory.

The Venetian, like many of the hotels on The Strip, has a posh pool area.
The Venetian, like many of the hotels on The Strip, has a posh pool area.

We sampled scrumptious seafood at AquaKnox and saw Le Reve, the aquatic masterpiece voted best show in Vegas. But, even with all that fanciness, my favorite part of our whole trip was just sitting by the pool with an iced green tea and a laptop. Relaxation is the rarest adventure in our lives.

Las Vegas isn’t a place I could be content for more than a few days but for a limited amount of time, surrounded by sunshine and shops, I can cope just fine.

Rachel December 11, 2014 1 Comment
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